After 40 years as a public school band, choir, jazz band, and general music teacher, Mark Allen ’81 has finally retired. He is now retired from Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado, as well as 3 years spent teaching in central Illinois. Allen switched from trumpet to saxophone during his junior year at IWU, and now spends his weekends doing solo sax shows throughout the Four Corners area.
Jennie Scott ’89 recently accepted the position of Ticket Office & Showroom Manager with Wynn/Encore Las Vegas. In this role, she will oversee all aspects of the Ticket Office operations as well as oversee both the Encore Theater and Wynn Theater. While the Wynn Theater is being completely renovated to prepare for an exciting new Las Vegas Show, she will continue to supervise all shows at Encore including working with artists such as Boy George & Culture Club, Sebastian Maniscalco, Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, Steve Martin, Martin Short and many more. Congratulations Jennie!
Judy (Thomas) Hannan ’80 recently published an article in Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. The piece, titled “Improving Hypertension Control and Cardiovascular Health: An Urgent Call to Action for Nursing,” “profiles the critical roles for nurses in hypertension control in the form of leadership, education, research, advocacy, and evidence-based care.” Judy currently serves at the CDC as the Senior Advisor for Million Hearts®, a national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes. You can read her paper here.
Jeff Lockenvitz ’84 retired as principal of Bloomington District 87’s Washington Elementary School at the conclusion of the 2021-22 academic year. Jeff’s retirement concluded a 37-year career in education, including the past 28 years as principal at Washington, after also student teacing at the school. Replacing him is fellow Titan Zach Freeman ’07, who also completed his student teaching at Washington School, then taught at Washington for 11 years and now will be the school’s 11th principal in the last 125 years. Zach will start his job for the 2022-23 school year.
Pictured below is Zach and Jeff.
Read here about Mike Baltz ’87, a conservationist and singer-songwriter, and his journey to becoming the “‘Trop Rock Doc”.
Dr. Stephen Ondra ’80 is the new chief medical adviser for MITRE’s work as operator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Alliance to Modernize Healthcare federally funded research and development center. Congrats!
Peter Haas ’88, the new U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh, has arrived in Dhaka, the country’s capital city. Congratulations on this new endeavor, Peter!
Vic Wagner ’86 just shared news of his retirement as Vice President of BAE Systems (one of the world’s largest engineering firms). Congratulations, Vic!
Renee’s piece, Aviator (2021), is currently on display at Zg Gallery’s popup space in Chicago, IL.
Nancy completed her Professional Educators License (Certified School Nurse) in December 2021 at the University of Illinois-Chicago. Congratulations, Nancy!